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(No Model.)

G. P. MILLIKEN 8; H. B. LYTLE.

ELECTRICAL AUXILIARY SIGNALING SYSTEM.

No. 377,083. Patented Jan. 31, 1888.

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GEORGE F. MILLIKEN, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, AND HENRY B. LYTLE OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND, ASSIGNORS TO THE GAMEIVELL AUX- ILIARY FIRE ALARM COMPANY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

ELECTRiCAL AUXILIARY SHGNALING SYSTEM.

SPECIPICATEON forming part of Letters Patent No, 377,083, dated January 31, 1888.

Application filed September 10, 18257. Serial X0. 219,326.

T0 (6 wfz am it may concern:

'Be it known that we, GEORGE E. MILLI- KEN, of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, and HENRY l3. LYTLE, of Providence, in the county of Providence and State ofRhode Island, have invented certain Improvements in Electrical Auxiliary Signaling Systems, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to systems of electrical signaling in which 1i re, messenger, police, and other predctermi nod and arbitrary signals are sent from each or any of a series of oallboxes to a central or district signal-receiving Station.

It specially relates to organizations wherein the call-boxes, each inclosing a suitable clocktrain and a signal device, instead of or in addition to being adapted to be operated manually, can be operated through the instrumentality of an electro-magnct and local circuit from any number of out stations connected with the said call box by the said local circuit. Any number of private establishments may thus, for example, be connected by a local circuit with a public alarm-box, and tbeinconvenience of a special visit to the said box is thus avoided by all persons having access to the said sub-stations. These may be called auxiliary signaling systems. An ordinary plan of operating the electromagnetic apparatus of the main-circuit call-box is to use a normally-open metallic local circuit,which is closed by elfectuating, at any desired point, a contact between the two wires leading from the battery and instruments to be operated. A well-known alternative plan is to normally connect the two wires, introducing at the end of the circuit thus formed a suilicientlyhigh resistance. A constant current is thereby caused to llow in the circuit, which is useful in making periodic continuity tests, (this being not practicable in the use of open circuits) but which is insufficient to operate the instruments. Moreover, the contactkeys have, prior to our invention, been so arranged that after making the contact by which the workingcnrrent is directed through the instruments the circuit is broken before being restored through the normal resistance, for the purpose ofmore (No model.)

effectually discharging the electromagnets of the circuit. The circuits so arranged are, however, liable to be accidentally crossed or gronnded,so as to short circuit the battery and instruments or to include them between two grounds, thus operating the instruments unduly and causing the battery to be uselessly overworked.

This invention is intended to obviate the said practical defcct,and also to provide means whereby any circuit trouble is automatically announced by suitable signals, and, while it may be employed in various systems, has spe cial reference to the operating of fire or other alarm mechanism, acting to prevent the occurrence of false alarms and other mishaps arising from the undesired operation ofthc instruinents.

It comprises an improved arrangement of circuits between the batteries, circuitclosers, artificial resistances, and instruments to be operated, and also certain peculiar and novel me chanical and electrical dispositions of circuitclosing relays, keys, and alarms for announcing circuit faults and for testing purposes.

In the drawings which form a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a diagram ofthe electrical connections and appliances employedin our system. Fig. 2 is a modified substation detail, showing the sub-station bell included in a normally-open branch circuit adapted to be introduced into the line when the signal is sent; and Fig. 3 is a modified local-circuit arrangement whereby the alarm-signal and the disarrangemcut-signal may be received upon different instruments, which may, if desired, be differently located.

In the improved system which formsthcsubject of this specification there may be any number of substations, S, and for testing and fault signal receiving purposes a testing-station, 7. To each sub-station two wires, A and 3, are led, while a third wire, a, whichscrves as the return for both, may be led back by any preferred route.

D is a main central alarm or call receiving station, to which any number of main alarmcircuits, 1 2 3, may converge. These main circuits may each pass through one or more alarm or signal sending boxes, as shown with described hereinafter.

respect to circuit 3, of which an and Z are the incoming and outgoing wires, and which pass through the call-boxes 24: 25 and others, as may be desired. In the said signal-boxes are placed clectromagnets F, which, when energized, act to release the train operating the signal-sending mechanism. The main line thus enters the boxes and is adapted to be acted upon by the signalsending mechanism therein, while the two wires of some local circuit c and 0 also enter the said boxes and connect with the electro-magnets F for the purpose of controlling the mechanism.

I have shown the box 25 of the main circuit as being connected by a metallic local circuit with a group of sub-stations, from each of which it may be actuated, and with the testing-station Z. At the station upon the said local circuit which is most distant from the batteries, (but always between the last substation and the alarm-box,) or, if preferred, at a station specially arranged for the purpose, is placed an artificial .resistance or rheostat, Rh, and a circuit-changing magnet, M, for a purpose which will hereinafter appear. A similar but independent local circuit may in like manner be connected with box 24 and others throughout the main system.

L is a powerful battery for furnishing a strong electrical current, which, when directed under proper conditions through the electromagnet F in the alarm-box, its circuit being closed for that purpose, energizes the said magnet and releases the train which sends the alarm-signals. The relay R hasone of its terminals connected with one pole of the battery L and may be energized thereby for the purpose of sounding at an electromagnetic alarminstrument, 0, such alarm being located at any convenient part of the premises, but preferably at the testing-station Z, and controlled through a special circuit by the relayR, as also The same terminal of the relay R is united electrically through wire 18 and through the testing-key T to one pole of a small battery, 8. Thus both batteries have one pole connected with the same terminal of said relay; but it is to be observed that the poles of the two batteries connected are not like poles.

It will be seen that the battery 3 furnishes a continuous current upon the circuit passing through all the sub-stations of the auxiliary system and through the call-magnet F of sufficient strength to test the continuity of said circuit, but not sufficiently strong to actuate the said magnet and operate the alarm.

G is a galvanometer suitably mounted at the testing station at a point between the other terminal of the relay R and the alarm-magnet F on the wire 0. The circuit through which this current flows is through wire A, backstop 17, testkey T, wire 18, relay R, wire19, galvanomcter G, wire 0, magnet F, wirec, magnet M, wire 10, and then by main wire A and the signal-sending keys back to the other pole of battery 8, (the keys in being at rest.)

Rh is an artificial resistance or rheostat in connection with the principal battery L by means of wire B or an extension thereof, and

controlled by the armature-lever 5 of the circuit-changing magnet M, so that it is introvanometer-needle, it is too feeble to actuate the magnets in circuit.

Signal-sending keys It or other suitable circuit-changers are provided at each sub-station and rest normally against their upper contactstops 9,both keys and stops being consecutively included in the circuit of wire-A. Each main key 70 controls a supplementary spring-key, 7t, which also normally rests against its upper contact-stop, 11, and these respectively connect by branch wires 12 and 14 with the mai n" wire B. Connected by wires 13 between the supplementary keys k and the wire B are electromagnetic bells r, either of the-single stroke or vibratory variety, as may be desired, and these bells are normally shunted by the wires 12. Their function is to be introduced into the circuit of the battery L, when the keys is are depressed to send signals, for the pur pose of affording to the subscriber an audible notification that the circuits are continuous, for if the circuits are in order a ring will be received, whereas if they are not the bells will remain silent.

The relay R has an armature-lever, q, which at its free end engages with a lever, to, pivoted at its center 8" and normally caused to bear against the end of said the armature-lever by a counter-spring, 0'. ports in its normal position, in which it is maintained by the spiral spring 0, a third and circuit-closing lever b, and by such support the latter is held away from its front stop.

The relay R is partially energized by the current from battery 8 when the circuit is closed, but sufficiently to attract its armature against the pull of its spring 6 until the lever q strikes the lever a; but it is not sufficiently energized by such current to move the lever a against the force of spring 0.

When the apparatus is quiescent or in its normal state, the closed circuit of battery 8 may be traced, as already indicated, and the current flowing therein effects the attraction of the armature 5 of the magnet M and the partial attraction of the armature q of the re- The pivoted lever a sup-' lvC lay R,and, furthermore,showing'a deflection The circuit of the battery L is normally open, as shown at the back stop 7 of thearmaturc-lever 5 of the magnet M, to which it is extended through the resistance Rh and wire 8, and it may legitimately be closed there and also at each sub-station by its branches 1.4 and the keys k. The difference between these points of closure is that when closed at 7 the resistance Rh is included, but when closed by the sub-station keys the resistance is cut out. A branch wire, t, is connected from the point 20 on wire 0 to the armature-lever 5 of mag net M, and in conjunction with this for testing purposes a spring circuit-breaking key, T, is provided between battery 8 and relay It, the wire 18 being united to the key and the said relay.

At the testing-station Z the alarnrinstrument may consist of a vibratory bell, O. This is operated by the current of a battery, 9, by means of the relay 1%, thearmature of which is adapted to close the circuit of said battery through said bell when in its extreme forward or extreme backward position. The circuit of this battery 9 extends through the hell 0 and is normally open. One of its poles coir nects by wire 22 with the bell O, and the circuit extends, by wire 27, from said bell to the armature-lever q of relay R, with which it makes contact at St, and also to the circuitclosing lever I). The other pole of said battery connects with the back-stops of both of the said levers; but we prefer to form another and separate local bell-circuit and place therein an additional vibratory bell which shallrespond only in case of an alarm of fire, or when the electromagnet F is energized to release the clock-train, and to use the vibratory bell O for test purposes and to give notice of any disarrangement of the circuit-wires. To effect this we arrange the wires as shown in Fig. 3. The local hell 0 is connected to the back-stop (Z and to the armaturelever q, as before described, the action thereof being the same; but the wire 26 is detached from the armature and extended to one side of the vibratory bell P, including therein the battery 51, and the wire 20 is detached from the backstop (2 and extended to the other side of hell P. This division into two bell-circuits is de sirablein many places. For instance, in a factory the alarm-bell 0 would be located where the watchman would be notified of any disarrangeinen't ot' the wires, and the bell P would be located in the main office to give immediate notice of a fire, it being understood from previous description that the lever 11 can close the local circuit of bell P only when an alarm is sent in.

Having now described the invention with reference to the drawings, it remains to indicate its operation in various circumstances.

It is known that the wires A and c are con tinuons, because the galvanometer-needle is constantly deflected, and the relay B being closed, as shown. Let it be desired to test the continuity of that part of the alarm-circuit which is normally open-namely, the wire B. This is done by pressing the test-key T, which opens the circuit of battery .9. This causes the armature 5 of magnet M to fall away under the influence of its counter-spring against its back-stop 7. forming a circuit for battery L, which includes the resistance Rh, this circuit passing through battery L, wire 13, resistance Rh, wire 8, contact-stop 7, lever 5, wire 4,wire c, alarm-magnet F, wire 0, galvanometer G, wire 19, relay-magnet R, and wire 13, back to the other pole of battery L; but the current is weakened by the interposition ot the resistance Rh, so that the electro-magnets in circuit will not be affected. It' the wire 13 be intact, this fact is learned fromthe position of the gali'anomcter-needle, which will show a small deflection distinctive in two respects from that shown on the normally-closed circuit-namely, the deflection will be smaller and also of opposite directionthe two batteries L and 8 presenting poles of opposite sign to the galvanometer. It the wire B be broken, there will be no detleetion. Should the normal circuit be broken at any point on wires A, c, or c, the current of battery 8 will of course cease to flow, and the relay It becoming demagnetized, its armature-lever will be drawn back by the spring 0 against the backstop (1, closing the circuit of battery 9 through the bell O, and giving a continuous ring or warning-alarm until attention is attracted to the disarrangement; or, if a cross or an accidental contact should occur between the main wires A and B, the batteries L and s will simply be shortcircuited (their polarity being arranged under such conditions to coincide) through the wires B and A and A, 18, and B, the result being that the entire current is cut off from the relay R, and the alarm denoting that the circuit is out of order is given upon the bell O exactly as in case of a break. in either case the galvanometcr-needle also will indicate the dis arrangement by the absence-of deflection. \Ve have seen that in the event of a break or a cross between A and B the trouble is manitested by means of the bell O, the circuit of which is closed by the back contact of the relay.

It is clear that the signal-sending magnet F may, by proper adjustments, be made irresponsive to all conditions except the intentional sending of signals by means of the keys at the sub stations by proper adj ustmcnts,and prevented from operating, even though any two or all of the wires connecting the various parts of the apparatus be crossed or accidently brought into contact. As an addi tional example, it may be stated that in case of such a contact between wires B and 0, while a portion ot'the current from the battery L will pass through relay It, galvanometer G, and the signal-sending magnet F,such portion will not be enough to operate the magnet F, as a much larger proportion of the cur rent will pass from battery Lthrough battery 8 and wire A, magnet M, and the cross back to the other pole of the battery L, (provided the linercsistance is unimportant or equal in either case,) by the reason of the lesser eleclIO thus maintained at its full strength.

4 r v I 377,083

tromagnet resistance occurring in the latter route; but if it be desired to operate .the siggalsending magnet F by means of anyone of the keys is at the several-substations, the desired key is depressed. This action first opens the circuit of battery 8 by breaking wire A, and then, coming into contact with key It, closes the'circuit of battery L, including the supplementary key It, the branch wires 12 and 14, wire B, battery L, relay R, galvanometer G, signal-sending magnet F, wires 0 and c, circuit-changing magnet M, wire A, and key It. The whole of the current of the large battery is thus sent through the magnet'F, which thereupon releases the train of the signal-box and sends the signal. The resistance Rh is not included in the circuit, and the current is The alarm-bell controlled by the relay It likewise gives notice that an alarm or signal has been sent. The further pressure of keys k It" breaks the contact of the latter with its stop 11,0pening the shunt-circuit 12, and the current will then pass also through the sub -station bellmagnet r to wire B. The hammer of bell 1" will then respond by a single tap or a vibratoryserics, as arranged, thus giving evidence of the transmission of the signals, as intended.

Several features in the construction and operation of the fire-alarm box not heretofore alluded to will now be described. It is desirable for the perfect Working of an alarm apparatus of this character that there shall be no interference with an alarm being sent in by any other sub-station in the same circuit sending in an alarm; and; secondly, it is also desirable that the substation sendingin an alarm shall be notified by means of a return-signal that the alarm has been received at the firealarm box; and, thirdly, it is import-ant that the sub-station sending in the alarm shall not have the means for repeating the alarm, for after an alarm has been once sounded the future proceedings form a part of the duties of the fire-alarm department. To these ends the fire-alarm box is constructed as shown in diagram in box 25. Wire 0, entering the box, is secured to screw-post 60, connected to the metal block 65. Pivoted to block at 63 is a bar, 62, normally resting against and making electrical contact with the projecting stop 64, which is united by wire 67 to the electro-magnet F. We arrange in connection with the clock-train of the box a slowmoving wheel, 61, which has on its face a projecting pin, 66, in the path of which reaches the upper end of the bar 62. The pin 66 is at a little distance from the bar 62 when the mechanism is at rest.

When a key, k, is depressed at any sub-station and a current sent. into the box 25 from the battery L, as hereinbefore described, the clock-train is released by the attraction of the armature of the electro-magnet F and the firealarm' signal commences to sound, the slowmoving wheel 61 moves in the direction of the arrow; at the same time the vibratory bell in the sub-station is ringing, thus notifying the operator there that the circuits are intact,

the operator still keeping the key depressed;

the pin 66 reaches the free end of bar 62 and breaks the circuit between it and the projecting stop 64;. When this takes place, three things have been effected: First, the vibratory bell in the sub-station has ceased to ring, thus notifying the operator that the alarm has reached the box and the clock-train started in motion; second, the circuit being broken, a second signal cannot be sent and sound asecondalarm; and, third, for the same cause no alarm can be sent in from the other substations on the line to cause confusion.

The one alarm sent to the fire-alarm box is sufficient for the fire-alarm department, who, in the nature of things,willsoon reach the box and locate the fire, and, if it becomes necessary to call a second alarm, it will be done at the box by the engineer in charge of the fire apparatus, and to make the auxiliary alarmcircuit again operative it is necessary that the circuit be closed manually by turning the bar 62 back again to rest upon the projecting stop 64, the wheel 6l,after opening the circuit,having pushed the bar 62 over onto the base of the screw-post 60, and coming at rest again into operative position when the fire-alarm has been sounded the predetermined number of times. We do not confine ourselves to the specific devices shown and described for of -feeting these results at the box 25, as we may use any other to obtain the same result.

In Fig. 2 we show a modification of the circuits at the sub-stations, in which the shuntwire 12 is left out, as is also the auxiliary key 70'.

The key It makes a solid contact with the anvil 70, the current always passing through the bell.

\Ve claim-- .1. In a system forthe transmission of arbitrary electric signals, the combination, substantiall y as hcreinbefore described, of a main alarm-circuit connecting signal-transmitting boxes with a central signal-receiving station, local or auxiliary alarm-sending circuits extending through a series of private sub-stations, and connecting the said substations with the alarm boxes of the main circuit, an,electro-magnetic releasing device controlling the signal-sending mechanism of the said alarmboxes, the actuating-magnet therefor beingineluded in the auxiliary circuit, two batteries of different strengths, the weaker being constantly included in the local alarm-circuit when the said circuit is at restfor testing purposes, and the stronger being included in a normallyopen derived circuit having a normally-open branch extending into each sub-station, and a compound signaling-key at each substation connected with the wire leading to the alarmbox-actuating magnet and normallymaintaining the continuity of the weakerbattery-circuit through its back contact, but having its front stop united to the branches of the larger battery derived circuit, whereby the said key,

when operated, is adapted first to break the circuit of the testingbattery and thereafter to connect the remaining fragment ofthe local alarm-circuit, including the magnet of the signaltransmitting box, with the stronger battery for the purpose of sending an alarmsignal.

2. The combination, with an alarnrtransmitting or arbitrary signal-box, of a normallyclosed local alarm-circuit extending from substations to said signal-box, two batteries of unequal strength, the weaker of which is included in said circuit and the stronger being included in a normally-opeu branch thereof,

extending also into the substations, a releasing or tripping device for the said signal-box controlled by an electromagnet in the local alarm-circuit, the said magnet being responsive to the current of the stronger battery only, a relay-magnet, also included therein and adapted to be partly energized and actuated by the current of the smaller battery, but fully energized by that of the larger battery, and a compound circuit-changing key at each sub-station connected permanently with the main wire of the local alarm -circuit and maintaining the connection thereof with the weaker battery when at rest through its resting-contact, but having its front contact connected with the stronger battery and adapted thereby, when operated, to disconnect the weaker battery from the circuit and to substitute the stronger, whereby the releasing device magnet may be actuated to send a signal, the relay-magnet being simultaneously caused to exert a fuller attraction upon its armature, thereby changing its position, substantially as described herein,

3. The combination, with an alarm trans mitting or arbitrary signal-box, of a normallyclosed local alarm-circuit extending from substations to said signal-box, two batteries of unequal strength, the weaker of which is normally closed upon said circuit, completing the same, and the stronger being included in a normally -open derived circuit thereof, said derived circuit being permanently in contact with the local alarm circuit at one end and extending by normally-open branches into the sub-stations, a releasing or tripping device for the said signalbox controlled by an electromagnet in the local alarm-circuit, the said magnet being responsive to the full force of the stronger battery only, a relay-magnet, also included therein and adapted to partially respond to the current of the weaker battery, but to be fully responsive to the current of the stronger battery, a compound signabsending key at each substation, comprising the main key 7; and the supplementary key It, the latter being adapted to be actuated by the former, and each having an independent resting contact stop, that of the former having a circuit connection with the weaker battery and that of the latter with the normally-open circuit of the stronger battery, the keys it of the several sub-stations being in series on the weaker battery-wire, and an electric bell connected in the circuit-connection of the supplementary key between the said key and its back contact-stop, and thereby normally shunted, whereby when the said keys at any sub-station are actuated the weak er battery is disconnected, the stronger battery connected, and the subscribefls bell introduced into the circuit of the latter to receive an automatic answeringsignal, as described.

4. The combination, substantially as herein' before described, with a clock-train or signalbox mechanism and an electromagnetic releasing device therefor, of two batteries of different strengths, the stronger only being of sufficient strength to actuate the electro-magnetic releasing device, a metallic circuit normally completed through the weaker of the said batteries and including permanently the magnet of the releasing device, a circuit-connection including the stronger battery connected permanently on one side of said battery with the said metallic circuit, but normally open on the other side thereof, and having normally-disconnectcd branches extending into one or more sub-stations, a compound circuit-changing key, 76, at each sub-station, having its back contact connected with the leading wire from the weaker battery, and being itself connected with the continuation of said wire to the releasing-device magnet, (the said keys at the several sub-stations being in series with one another,) a supplementary key, at each sub station connected permanently with the normally-open branch extending thereinto from the stronger battery and serving as the front contact of the main key, a responsive signal electric bell included in said branch circuit between the key it and the main wire, and a shunt-circuit around the said bell from the back contact of said key 70' to the said open branch circuit, the operation of key 70 being thereby adapted to send an alarm by opening one circuit and closing another, and immediately tl1creafter,tl1rough the agency of the supplementary key it, to cause the response-signal bell to be actuated.

5. The combination, with a clocktrain or signal-box mechanism and an electro-magnetic releasing or tripping device therefor, of the batteries L and s, having opposing poles presented toward the electro-ma'gnet of the releasing device, together with the wire 0, constituting the permanent portion of a local metallic alarnrcircuit including said magnet, circult-connections extending from both poles of battery 3 and constituting normally the remaining portion of said circuit, and the normally-open circuit, including the battery L, connected upon one side of said battery with the connections leadingfrom the opposite pole of the other and constituting a portion of the said metallic circuit during the sending of alarms, whereby in case of a cross between the main wires of the two batteries they are short circuited and false alarms from the undesired energization of the alarm-magnet are prevented.

6. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore specified, with the batteries L and s,

of difi'erentIstrengths, a normally-open circuit lncluding the former and extending for any required distance, and a resistance, Rh, included therein at a point close to the end thereof, of means for testing from a given stat1o n the integrity of. said normally-open circult, said means comprising'a normally-closed metallic circuit including the weaker battery, a testing-relay, R, a galvanometer, and a circuit-breaking key, all at a testing-station, and a clrcuit-changing magnet, M, and armature and lever located near the end of the open circuit of the larger battery,-the said circuit being terminated by a connection with the backstop of said lever, and the said lever being electrically connected with the line-wire leadmg direct to the galvanometer and relay, so that by pressing the test-key the original circult may be broken and the open circuit thereupon closed through the armature-lever and stop of the magnet M may be tested by the current of its own battery, weakened by the introduction of the resistance.

7. In a system for electrically actuating an alarm or signal sending mechanism, an electric circuit normally closed upon a weak battery, a relay included therein and partially energized by the current of said battery, the armature of said relay being by such partial energization held in an intermediate position between its limiting-stops, and two independent normally-open local circuits, each including an electric bell, one of said circuits being adapted to be closed by the backward move ment and the other by the forward movement a of said armature, whereby the same relay may be used alike for an alarm-test and for a signal-sending indicator, as specified herein.

8. In a system for electrically actuating an alarm or signal sending mechanism, an electric circuit normally closed upon a battery,

but having a normally-open derived circuit including a stronger battery, a relay included in the said circuit and partially energized by the current of said battery, but adapted to be included in circuit with the larger battery, and thereupon to be fully energized, the armature of said relay being by such partial energization held in an intermediate position between its limiting-stops, two independent normallyopen local circuits, each including an electric bell, one of said circuits being controlled by the backward and the other by the forward movement of said armature, whereby one bell is caused to sound when the normal circuit is disarranged for testing purposes and the other when the larger battery is introduced to send a signal, and one or more keys connected with the wires of both batteries and normally maintaining the continuity of the circuit of the first to the relay, but adapted, when depressed, to connect the second with the said relay.

9. The combination, in asystem for electrically actuating from any of a series of sub-stations a signal-sending mechanism or alarmbox, of a metallic circuit leading from thesaid sub-stations to a starting electro magnet for releasing the said mechanism, a signaling-key at each sub-station adapted to connect a battery with said circuit for the purpose of ener-- GEORGE E. MILLIKEN. HENRY B. LYTLE.

\Vitnesses:

GEO. WILLIs PIERCE, FRED J. F. SCHWARTZ. 

